Lancaster man attacked former school pal with chair leg after bike theft allegation

A furious man attacked a former school friend after being told he stole and sold a boy's brand new bike for £20, a court has heard.

Gary Thomas Wearing, 45, of Gardner Road, Lancaster, armed himself with a wooden chair leg and attacked Darren Prescott at his Morecambe home after a shopkeeper told him he had spotted him steal the 14-year-old's bicycle, which Mr Wearing and his partner had bought for more than £100.

He pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at Preston's Sessions House court and has been given a nine month sentence suspended for 18 months, with a curfew.

Prosecuting, Hanifa Patel said: "On September 25 at around 7.30am Mr Prescott was at home with his partner Michelle and they were both asleep on the sofa in the living room. At that time he was awoken by a noise which sounded like something being thrown at a wall in the hallway. It didn't concern him a great deal.

"Five minutes later he heard a noise again. This time the door to the living room had been kicked in.

"Mr Prescott could see the defendant stood in the living room demanding to know where his son's bike was.

"Mr Prescott said eh did not know what he was talking about. It was while speaking to him he noticed he was carrying a type of bat in his right hand."

The court heard Wearing said he did not believe him and started hitting his head while he was lying on the sofa.

Police arrived after being called by the victim's partner and found him with lacerations to his head.

Mr Prescott did not give a victim statement.

Defending Chris Hudson revealed Wearing and his class mate were now "friends again".

He added: " The defendant didn't want to involve the police and decided to sort it out himself.

Judge Simon Newell said: "The aggravating features are you took a weapon with you, you used that weapon and it was within his own house into which you entered."